They definitely have more power than last year. Jack Gallagher has five homeruns already, which would have tied him for the team lead last year. They're getting power from many different sources too. Alex Gouveia has hit two and he had none in two years at Modesto JC.

I didn't see much small ball or aggressive baserunning when I went, but that's a very small sample.

One thing they are much better at is fielding, You can probably chalk that up to having a head coach with a proven track record of playing and coaching infield. The infield coach they had before-Lloyd Acosta-had a very limited resume. He had never played above JC (and legend has it tried out for UCD in the D-II years and didn't make the team). I know playing experience doesn't necessarily equal coaching aptitude, but it helps. The hazing report if I remember it correctly said the players kind of gave him an average to below average rating.

Pitching is stronger too, but the improvement is mainly in individual relief performances, so it hasn't translated into many wins so far. For example, today freshmen Max Hippensteel and Zach Romero threw scoreless innings today, but the team surrendered 11 runs over the other seven innings.

And so far this team has just been flat on Fridays, have not won a series opener.

Another thing I like is that he plays everyone. The only player who hasn't appeared in a game yet is pitcher Shotaro Hamada. In Hamada's case I think they might be redshirting him. Assuming this is the right guy Maxpreps.com says he has a career high school varsity career record of (4-12) with a 6.86 ERA. I'm going to guess this guy has a billion dollar arm but needs some work on his control, which would be supported by his K:BB ratio. Or maybe they're just waiting for a low-pressure scenario to give him his first appearance.

I don't think this has impact on the mascot. If Gunrock also lends its name to a beer served at games, maybe.

I would've been interested to see how Campbell would have done outside of the COVID-19 environment. In both of his seasons he had an extremely key starting player who had already played 4 years elsewhere (Tillman and Dean) but had that extra COVID-19 year. I look at that types of player as a ringer. Of course UCD had 1 too this year, although she didn't have the same kind of impact.. Will be nice when there are no more COVID kids and the Mikey Henns of the NCAA have to just grow up already and either be in graduate school without playing or get a job.

The Aggies split the Saturday doubleheader with Northridge 6-5 and 3-9.

I was surprised that Nicholson started exactly the same lineup, except for the pitchers, in both games. I thought for sure he'd have Gallagher get a rest from catching the second game, but he started both of them. I see why. He has an accurate arm and nailed at least 3 or 4 would-be base stealers on the day and his batting average is starting to creep up.

The second game was winnable. The Northridge pitcher was more lucky than good, as rallies (including a bases-loaded none out situation) kept getting thwarted by sharp line drives hit directly at infielders. It actually was a very competitive game until Carter Delaney had to exit the game after pitching 5 scoreless innings of relief. With two shutdown long relief appearances in a row (the other being a 3 inning appearance against ASU) would not be surprised if he gets some weekend starts.

Saw Barnes pitch for the first time. Seems like he has kind of a hitch in his delivery and he kept missing high. I wonder if perhaps he has to modify his delivery to avoid aggravating an injury-he didn't look comfortable out there.

Wooldridge was also impressive in relief.

Aggies lost 6-3 to CSUN in 11 innings

They fought like hell though all game long, so nothing to be ashamed of here.

Alejandro Huezo made his first career start and was pretty sharp-2 runs allowed in 5 innings. Nate Freeman had a shutdown long relief appearance and kept them in the game. Nice to see Freeman recover from some rough outings as a starter

Alex Gouveia hit a game-tying homerun in the 7th. What made that particularly interesting was that it was his second collegiate homerun-ANYWHERE. According to the CCCAAsports.org website he hit .311 over two seasons at Modesto JC-with ZERO homeruns in over 228 official at-bats. He has two with the Aggies.

Unfortunately they surrendered 4 runs in the 11th. However, the Aggies loaded the bases with two outs and had the tying run at the plate. All they wound up getting was a bases-loaded walk to get their third run.

A statitical oddity: Jack Gallagher finally got a single. All of his other hits had been for extrs bases.

The hitters struggled again, but there's a pattern developing: the team flat out struggles to hit in series openers. That is when typically the opposing team's best pitcher would be throwing. If you expect to struggle against anyone it would be the Friday starter. Here's how they've done so far in series openers:

Utah Valley (loss)-1 run.
Santa Clars (loss)-2 runs
Seattle (loss)-1 run
Arizona State (loss)-1 run
CSU Northridge (loss)-3 runs

8 runs over 5 games is not getting it done. Still it does mean the Aggies are 5-4 in games that are not weekend series openers.

I don't know if Title IX is so specific as to state that you must do exactly the same thing for both sports, but rather give equal opportunities for facility improvements and competition.

Baseball has had a superior facility to softball for many years, but that was largely due to all the volunteer efforts and donated material, not so much an issue of money. Softball doesn't need a 3,500 stadium, and neither does the baseball team, but no doubt they built Community Stadium with higher aspirations in mind, like perhaps a minor league team (like Nettleton Stadium in Chico). Who received the more recent and extensive improvements though ? Softball. New seating, new batting cages, and didn't they get a new playing surface too ? That isn't to say baseball got nothing-the lighted batting cages are relatively new.

What I suppose this illustrates is that Title IX compliance is not as simple as solving an algebraic equation (doing to one side to what you do to the other).

I have a feeling this won't happen until the team performs + generates more spectator interest. Sac State didn't get their lights until after they had asustained winning reputation under Christiansen. I don't think their softball stadium has lights. I could be wrong.

I haven't heard anything but I think the whole hazing business became something of a financial setback for the university. I'm certain the university had to offer Nicholson a significantly higher salary than Vaughn to get him to come over. That hazing investigation was probably quite expensive too.

Getting away from the financial implications I think the program is still in a probationary period. I think we'll see lights only if Nicholson can turn it around. If not, would they see the merit in investing more money ?

Tuesday's game at Santa Clara was cancelled.

It's just as well. The Broncos don't currently have a home field, as their ballpark is undergoing some extensive renovations. They have been playing at either Mission College (a JC) or a local HS. Not much of a trip.

Santa Clara has a really nice and modern ballpark as it is but they're getting a new playing surface, seats, and other things. And we don't have lights. The rich get richer.

They're not the only WCC school with stadium renovations taking place. Louis Guisto Field is also undergoing improvements. The difference is that the installation of sests there apparently does not prevent games from being played, just no spectators. So the Aggies may be playing in front of nobody when they visit on 4/4.

There were some good individual performances. Jack Gallagher and Leighton Helfrick (1st career) both hit homeruns. Alex Gouveia had two hits, including a double.

Braydon Wooldridge contributed on both sides, going 1 for 4 and throwing scoreless inning of relief. According to the roster he is both a pitcher and outfielder, so this seems more than just a mop-up appearance at the end of the game..

Gallagher continues his feast-or-famine hitting. He has five hits total-1 double and 4 homeruns.

UCD lost 6-4 to ASU. I don't think they've ever beaten the Sun Devils in their D-I history but they have had a few close games (including 2 in 2016 where they blew 9th inning leads) and this was another.

Bryan Green wasn't his usual dominant self on the mound, but he gutted out 5 innings to keep them in the game, including three shutout innings after he surrendered 3 runs in the first despite the fact he only registered only one strikeout. Joey Wright hit his second homerun.

Another positive: Damian Stone was back in the starting lineup in left field. He brings a lot of speed, something this team doesn't have in spades. Kind of odd that a guy that fast plays left field. That's usually where you stick your big slugger who doesn't play first base (Joc Pederson anyone ?) and doesn't have much speed.

Another couple of things I noticed. Apparently Theo Forshey isn't the first baseman for now. He started ice cold with the bat this year so Leehey has been there the last couple games. Leehey would start somewhere everyday regardless because of his defensive versatility and hitting ability. Hopefully Theo can get the hitting going soon. This is a player who was originally with UCSB, so if he was even able to sit in the Gaucho dugout in recent years he's better than your average JC transfer. To be fair quite a few players aren't really hitting. Call it early season adjustment or cold weather. Even Mark Wolbert's only hitting .275, which is underachieving for him.

Wolbert started the year in center field but is now in right field, while Ethan Kang has been getting more time in center field. Since Kang is not hitting particularly well I wonder if this means that he is proving to be a more reliable defender in center .I think Raul Sandoval, not Wolbert, played center primarily last year. I don't know-I haven't been to any games this year. Something about a 10 am Saturday doubleheader in cold weather doesn't agree with me. I'm not 19 anymore.

ASU is probably the best team they've played so far, so not getting blown out in either of these games is something.

You don't win too many games with only 4 hits.

On the plus side freshman outfielder Braydon Wooldridge had two hits and Carter Delaney threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, allowing only 2 hits and a walk. He redshirted as a freshman at Pomona-Pitzer, a D-III school if I'm not mistaken. Looks like the Sagehens really struck out by letting him get away. Baseball pun intended.

While it's nice to want the team to retain its best players and be as competitive as possible for our entertainment I don't care either way if his UCD playing career continues. If he leaves someone else will emerge as the star (not like they recruited 1 good player and a bunch of mediocre ones) and it will create an opportunity for another young player. If he stays the team would presumably be better for his contributions. It's really a question of whether you want to move on now or a year from now.
If he comes back maybe that's another star's progression delayed a year.

9-6 win for Sac. Pretty sloppy game for UCD. The only pitcher who didn't surrender a run was Max Hippensteel. Great game for him-6 up 6 down to finish the game.

This has been going on for years now w/Sac State. They can't win these SpringTraining-like games using a bunch of different pitchers. They need consistency to beat good tesms + you don't get that changing pitchers all the time-too many variables.

On the plus side Nicholson got work for several pitchers without using his better relievers (Carrion, Huezo, and Hogan). James Williams and Nick Leehey had multiple hits. Nick Iverson was back in the lineup and drove in two runs. Damian Stone got an at-bat, so hopefully he's close to returning to the outfield.

And there goes the winning record

There we go. 9-6 Sac bottom 7th. Why on Earth did they just take Wolbert out of the game ?

It's been stuck on the Gametracker for awhile now.

Wow, the field must really be a mess if they know the day before it won't be playable.

They scheduled it for 4pm, which really helps no one who might want to attend-not likely going to be well-attended. Sac State schedules 4 pm frequently Feb. and March according to the schedule. I'm guessing this is to prepare for a potential rain delay. If they tell everyone to be there for a game at 4 on a Tuesday and there's rain they can wait a bit and try to play later, but if they make the original time 6 and you have a delay there's less flexibility. But for weekend games it makes no sense because if your Friday evening game is rained out you can just try to play an earlier doubleheader the next day.

The Aggies wrapped up the Seattle series with a 4-2 win over the Redhawks. Nick Leehey (at third base) was the big hitter today with a double, homerun, and three runs batted in.

Rowen Barnes pitched well as the starter, striking out 5 in 3 1/3 innings pitched and allowing just 1 run. According to the press release after his last start Barnes is working his way back from an injury so they are placing tighter restrictions on how many pitches he can throw right now. Kaden Riccomini and Avery Thau pitched well in relief. Alejandro Huezo had a very un-Huezo like day striking out just one in his two innings.

A strange coincidence-both teams had someone named K. Hogan pitching at the end of the game (Kian Hogan for Seattle and Kaden Hogan for UCD).

Somehow Barnes got credited with the win even though he left the game in the 4th. They must have applied that rule where the starting pitcher can go less than 5 and still win if it is a controlled start where they state how many pitches he will throw at the very beginning. Somehow the game tracker listed Barnes' record as 1-1 despite the fact that the Aggies won the only other game he pitched this year. Either he's 1-0 or they credited the win to the wrong pitcher. My guess is they looked at Avery Thau's record (0-1) and mistakenly thought it was Barnes'

Riccomini seems to be thriving in the bullpen. They needed him to be a starter last year with the lack of depth the team had. Under normal circumstances he should have been the winning pitcher today, as he completed the 5th inning.

Kaden Hogan continues to be an intriguing player. He was starting at shortstop for Long Beach State as a freshman, then transferred to UCD by way of Sierra College, sat out last year, and apparently now is the Aggies' closer out of the bullpen-while still making starts at third base periodically. Since this is probably his last year of college baseball (JR in eligibilty, but his 5th year of college) he looks to be going out as that utility guy who can do anything. If anyone plays all 9 positions in a game this year it will be Hogan.

Also, of note, with a 5-4 record this is the first time they have had a winning record since they were 9-7 at the end of the 2020 season. With 1 more win they will have as many as they had all of last year. Unfortunately they have tough teams Sac State and ASU ahead of them so that winning record may not endure long.

Sac State actually only has 1 more win than UCD at this point. They were swept on the road this weekend although I don't know if losing 3 games to 3 different teams really counts as a sweep.

Sac State's website says the Monday game against the Aggies has been cancelled and the 4/11 game has been moved back to Sacramento.

My guess is that the hornets determined they were spreading themselves too thin. Had they kept the Monday game they would have been playing on 6 straight days- Thursday vs. Nevada, Friday-Sunday in L.A., Monday + Tuesday against UCD) followed by 1 day off then a 4-game series Thursday through Saturday against Central Michigan. They actually had a game scheduled for Wed against USF too, so that would have been ten straight days had they not also re-scheduled that. Even minor league baseball teams have a day off every week.

What can I say-even if the players all had slacker majors (I have no personal knowledge of this, so I'm not calling them slackers) they still would need to go to class sometime, right ? Wonder why they didn't catch this when they scheduled the extra game ?

Gallagher is having an interesting season so far. I looked at the team staistics and he has only 4 hits, which consist of a double and three homeruns. So right now he's not getting many hits, but when he does hit the ball he crushes it.

I haven't had a chance to see a game this year yet, but judging from the box scores it appears that Nicholson is doing a good job of sticking to his plan while balancing that with getting the freshmen playing time. Lineup changes seem to be motivated by injuries (Iverson, Stone ?) and not knee-jerk reactions to minor slumps. I see Woolridge, Kang, and Helfrick getting significant playing time in the outfield right now-all of them are freshmen. The competition for playing time next year will be very intense. Meanwhile, Joey Wright is the shortstop, another freshman. This will be a very experienced roster next year.

Nate Freeman was actually pretty good on the mound. He gave up 4 runs in 6 2/3 IP but two of them were unearned. The bullpen is where the meltdown really was. Glad to see Nick Iverson make a return, as I believe he missed the Santa Clara series. Unfortunately now Damian Stone, the left fielder, may now be injured. He exited last Saturday's second game

They returned the favor today with an 11-1 win. Bryan Green picked up his third win in as many tries, and every Aggie in the starting lineup had at least 1 hit. Freshman shortstop Joey Wright had a big day with 4 hits, including a homerun (his first I think). Catcher Jack Gallagher hit one as well-his third I believe. Gallagher transferred in from Santa Rosa Junior College, a top program in CA. I believe the Aggies lost a top recruit to them (Joe Lampe) a few years ago.